Car-coupling mechanism



Sept. 6,1927.

1,641,424 E. GEORGE, JR

CAR COUPLING MECHANI SM Filed Oct. 15,1925

2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 6 9' GEORGE, JR

CAR COUPLING MECHANISM 7 Filed Oct- 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedSept. 6, 1927.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EN'OCH GEORGE, 33., OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO THEMOCONWAY & TOBLEY COMPANY, OF

SYLVANIA.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- CAR-COUPLING MECHANISM.

A'pplication filed October 13, 1925. Serial -No. 62,265.

The invention relates to car coupling mechanism, commonly known astransition couplings, employed for the purpose of connecting a carequipped with an automatic coupler of the vertical plane type to a carequipped with a drawhook or thelike.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which is strong and of simple construction and which may beeasily and quickly manipulated.

A principal feature of the invention cone sists in providing a loopmember which eX- tends transversely of the coupler head and isjournalled at its opposite ends on the upper side of said head, a linkdevice which is movably attached to the loop member being provided forcooperation with a drawhook.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing a loop memberwhich is journalled at its opposite ends upon the upper side of thecoupler head, and in combining therewith a link device for cooperatingwith the drawhook, the loop member being formed with acurvedintermed'iate portion which normally extends forwardly beyond thecentral portion of the forward face of the coupler head.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing the coupler headwith upwardly extending lugs forming journal bean ings for thetransversely extending loop member, the said lugs being disposed uponopposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the coupler and one of themforming a segmental journal bearing for the loop member.

Other features of the invention relatingto particular relations of partsand advantageous details of construction will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,the scope out in the claims,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a coupler, transition gear and drawhook, theparts being connected and in pulling relation.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the mechanism.

Figure 3 is a View partly in section and partly in front elevation,showing the relation of the transition gear to the coupler.

Figure 1 is a detail side elevational view, looking toward the guard armside of the coupler head, of a portion of the mechanism.

whereof is pointed tached to the car by means of suitable draft riggingappliances in any well known or desired manner. Rotatably mounted uponthe head 2 of the coupler is a knuckle 3, the pivotal connections ofthese parts being made by the usual knuckle pin 4t. Suitable lockingmechanism 26 cooperates with the knuckle to restrain outward oruncoupling rotation of the latter. These features of construction arecommonly known and require no extended description.

Mounted upon the upper side of the coupler head 2 is a loopmember 5which is adapted to be connected to a drawhook 6 through theintervention of 'a link device preferably comprising an eye-bar member 7and a link 8. The openings 9 in the mem-' her 7 for respectivelyreceiving the loop member 5 and link 8 are, as shown, flared in,

order to prevent these connected parts from binding on each other whencars are passing around a curve. The curved intermediate portion 10 ofthe loop member is offset with respect to the journal ends thereof so asto be positioned in advance of thecentral portion of the forward face ofthe coupler head 2 when the loop member 5 is in operative position.

upwardly projecting lugs, 11 and 12 respectively, which form journalbearings for the corresponding ends of the loop member 5. These lugs arepositioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the coupler,one of them preferably being closely adjacent the knuckle pin 1 and theother being advantageously located substantially at the outer end of theguard arm portion of the coupler head. The journal bearing constitutedby the lug 11 is preferably in the form of an eye so as completely toencircle the, adjacent journal end 13 of the loop memher, while thebearing formed by the lug 12 for cooperating with the opposite journalend 1 1 of the loop member is segmental. As a convenient means formember 5 in journalled relation to thelugs 11 and 12 of the coupler headit is preferred to employ a pin 15 which is mounted on the coupler headimmediately to the rear of the journal bearing lug 12 and whose upperend overlaps the neighboring end 1d of the loop retaining the loop Q i1,64t1,4.-24

member. The pin 15 may be retained in assembled relation, by means of acotter 16. The bearing faces of the lugs 11 and 12 which engage the endsof the loop member 5 when the latter is in operative position are curvedto conform to the cooperating portions of the loop member; and to affordclearance to enable the loop member 5 to be assembled and disassembled,the rear portion of the eye of the lug 11 is flared, as inclicated at1.7. As a means for preventing lateral shifting of the loop member 5with respect to the coupler head, the ends of said loop member arepreferably formed with shoulders or lugs 18 which overlap neighboringportions of the correspondingly adjacent lugs 11 and 12 in which theloop member 5 is journalled.

It will be understood that when the auto matic coupler is to be coupledwith a similar coupler on an adjacent car the loop member 5 will berotated rearwardly so as to be out of the way. In this position of theloop member the bar and the drawhook link 8 hang down over the guard armof the coupler head 2.

In order to insure that the knuckle 3 shall remain in open position whenthe transition gear is in use so as to avoid interference with thelatter, it is preferred to mount a coil spring 19 on the lower end ofthe knuckle pin 4, one end of said spring extending into a perforatedlug 20 at the lower end of the pulling lugs of the knuckle 3 and theother end similarly cooperatingwith a perforated lug 21 projectingdownwardly from the underside of the coupler head.

The means illustrated in the drawings for operating the coupler lockingmechanism 26 are of a well known character and comprise a bell cranklever 22 which is pivotally attached by a pin 23 to lugs 24 formed onthe underside of the coupler head. One arm of the lever 22 is providedwith the customary eye 25 for permitting attachment of a pull rod suchas is usually employed. for operating an unlocking lever of thischaracter.

I claim:

1. Car coupling mechanism comprising a coupler head, a knuckle rotatablymounted on saidhead, and a lock for said knuckle, in combination withmeans adapted to connect said coupler to a drawhook, said meansincluding a pivoted member extending transversely of the coupler headand journalled on the upper side of the latter, and a link devicemovably connected to said transversely extending member and adapted tocooperate with a drawhook, said head being provided on opposite sides ofthe longitudinal axis of the coupler with lugs respectively formingjournal bearings for the ends of said transversely extending member, andsaid transversely extending member being provided at its ends with meansextending at an angle to its pivotal axis for engaging said lugs tolimit shifting of said transversely ex tending member laterally of thecoupler, and

means associated with one of said lugs for detachably maintaining thetransversely extending member in assembled position.

2. Car coupling mechanism comprising a coupler head, a knuckle rotatablymounted on said head, and a lock for said knuckle, in combination withmeans adapted to connect said coupler to a drawhook, said meansincluding a loop member journalled at its op po-site ends on the upperside of the coupler head and having a curved intermediate portionnormally extending forwardly, said head being provided on opposite sidesof its longitudinal axis with lugs forming journal bearings for saidloop member, one of said journal bearings .being open on one side, meansfor retaining said loop member in assembled relation to said lugs, andmeans niovably connectedto said loop member for connecting the latter toa drawhook.

3. Car coupling mechanism comprising a coupler head, a knuckle rotatablymounted on said head, and a lock for said knuckle, in combination withmeans adapted to connect said coupler to a drawhook, said means including a member extending transversely of the coupler head andjournalled on the up per side of the latter, and a link device movablyconnected to said transversely extending member and adapted to cooperatewith a drawhook, said head being provided on op-= posite sides of thelongitudinal axis of the coupler with lugs respectively forming jour nalbearings for the ends of said transversely extending member, and meansmounted on the head adjacent one of said lugs for detachably maintainingthe transversely ex tending member in assembled position.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

nnoon GEORGE, JR.

